Two Beds and a Coffee Machine
by Dassa Mudruffin
Summary: A Songfic to Savage Garden's song. Catherine goes to Sydney after an extemely hard experience with Mr. Parker. Are there feelings of more than friendship stirring in both of their hearts? STATUS: Complete!


Author's Note: I usually don't write such serious fics, but when I heard this song I could just picture it. This is an alternate universe fic so it

won't follow the show correctly. On with the fic!

Disclaimers: I don't own Pretender or the song "Two Beds and a Coffee Machine". They both belong to their respective owners. So please don't sue me!!

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Two Beds and a Coffee Machine

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And she takes another step

Slowly she opens the door

Check that he is sleeping

Pick up all the broken glass and furniture on the floor

Been up half the night screaming now it's time to get away

Pack up the kids in the car

Another bruise to try and hide

Another alibi to write

Catherine slowly crept out of the room she shared with her husband. She loved her husband dearly but tonight it had gone too far. He had hit her. He had hit her before but this time he had done it in front the children. She didn't care about what happened to her, but the children. Catherine couldn't let her children grow up in an abusive home. She silently walked into her children's room.

"Mommy?" they said when they saw her.

"Bobby. Rachel. Get dressed," she said.

"But why mommy? It's the middle of the night," said Bobby sleepily.

"We're going on a little trip," said Catherine.

"Is daddy coming?" asked Rachel.

"No honey. Daddy's staying home. Now lets go."

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Another ditch in the road

You keep moving

Another stop sign

You keep moving on

And the years go by so fast

Wonder how I ever made it through

Catherine drove through the city trying to think of a place they could go and not be found. Suddenly her thoughts turned to her husband. About how they had met. 

__

And there are children to think of

Baby's asleep in the backseat

Wonder how they'll ever make it through this living nightmare

But the mind is an amazing thing

Full of candy dreams and new toys and another cheap hotel

Two beds and a coffee machine

But there are groceries to buy

And she knows she'll have to go home

Catherine stood, soaking wet, at the front door of a very large and beautiful house. After an hour of driving she couldn't think of anywhere else to go. The children were tired, cold, and wet. Finally the door opened revealing a very tired Sydney. His look of annoyance changed to that of

concern when he saw Catherine.

"Catherine what are you doing here?" he asked, "What happened to your face?" Sydney reached to touch her cheek where Mr. Parker had struck her. 

Catherine flinched and bowed her head. "I'm sorry Sydney. I just…I didn't know where else I could go," she whispered before she began to sob uncontrollably. 

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Another ditch in the road

You keep moving

Another stop sign

You keep moving on

And the years go by so fast

Wonder how I ever made it through

After Sydney and Catherine had taken the children to one of the spare rooms Sydney led her down to the library and sat next to her on the couch.

"Catherine, what happened to you?" said Sydney with genuine concern showing in his eyes.

"I thought that it would end when Rachel was born, but it just got worse. He kept staying out later and later" Catherine took a deep breath before continuing, "He would come home drunk. I would try and talk to him, but he would just beat me. Tonight he didn't wait until the children had left the room. He just came up to me and started beating me. I don't care about what happens to me, but the children…"

Sydney had been looking at the floor the entire time. He couldn't believe that Mr. Parker would do this. If only Catherine had come sooner.

"I'm sorry Sydney" she said, "I shouldn't have bothered you."

Sydney moved closer to her and slowly wrapped his arms around her thin frame. "Don't be. I'm glad you came" he said as she began to cry and buried his face in his chest.

After a few minutes Catherine stopped crying. She looked up into the beautiful blue eyes of the kind and gentle man who held her in his strong, protective arms. To her those eyes were like the deepest ocean, and she found the strangest sense of comfort in those caring, comforting eyes.

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Another bruise to try and hide

Another alibi to write

Another lonely highway in the black of night

But there's hope in the darkness

You know you're going to make it

She was so close to him, yet so far away. He held the woman he loved so dearly in his arms. He had loved her ever since he had laid eyes on her. But she had always been in love with Mr. Parker.

Catherine looked at Sydney. She knew that she had always had feelings for him, but she didn't know how strong they truly were until now. She loved him more than anything.

Their eyes met and before either of them knew what they were doing they kissed. The many years of longing for the other was shown in one sweet, beautiful kiss. When they pulled away from each other both Sydney and Catherine were stunned.

"Catherine... I..."

Catherine covered his mouth with her hand. "I know Sydney" she whispered. "I know."

"I've loved you ever since the first time I saw you."

Catherine looked at Sydney with tears in her eyes "You have?"

"Yes I have" Sydney looked away "I wouldn't understand if… if you never wanted to see me again. I know how much you love Mr. Parker."

Catherine put her hand under his chin so that he had to look at her. Before he could speak Catherine kissed him again more passionately. "I thought I loved Mr. Parker. But he's not the one who holds my heart. You are. I love you."

Sydney looked at Catherine. His wildest dream had finally come true. " I love you too Catherine."

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Another ditch in the road

Keep moving

Another stop sign

You keep moving on

And the years go by so fast

Silent fortress built to last

Wonder how I ever made it

End

A/N: I hoped you liked my first "Pretender" fic!! For those of you that didn't know, Bobby is Mr. Lyle and Rachel is Ms. Parker. (See "The Final Truth" by Ann Parker) Please review!!


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